Fifty Schades of Adalind
by KathrynAlex
Summary: When Nick found out he was going to be a father, it was like nothing he'd ever pictured. Will his future family be as broken as his past? Slow build to Nadalind, Nick/Adalind. Picks up in season 4.
1. Chapter 1

Crowded into the side room at the spice shop, Adalind was explaining what ingredients they'd need to cook up a suppression potion for Juliette. Rosalee and Monroe were busy grabbing ingredients off the shelves. Adalind turned to Nick with a contemplative expression.

"So let me get this straight. You guys turned Juliette into _me_ and then slept with _her_ to get your powers back." Adalind paused in thought. "And _that's_ how Juliette ended up a hexonbiest?"

Nick huffed in irritation. "Yeah, basically." Adalind just had to know the details behind the train-wreck he called his life.

"Wow." Adalind mulled over it, sitting down. "So... how was it?"

"What?" He looked up sharply.

"How was it?" She cocked her head with curiosity and a coy smile. "...sleeping with me?"

"Are you serious?!" His anger didn't stop the images that flowed into his mind unbidden. Her blond hair spread out on his pillow and her soft body on his sheets. He shook his head vehemently.

"I was just curious. Sheesh." She said with an innocent look on her face before muttering, "Forget I said anything."

He was going to need a shrink by the time this baby was born. A good Grimm/Wesen shrink. Maybe his son would become a shrink. That would be good, he nodded to himself, heading for the front room. Might help him sort out the age old question, 'Why does daddy want to kill mommy?' Yeah, that'd be good.

Nick continued nodding to himself. The bells jingled as he exited the spice shop, unaware of the crazed look in his eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

It was his almost daily visit to check up on them at Bud's house. Nick listened to the soft voice floating down the hallway as he approached. _Who was she talking to?_ His hand reached for the doorknob, but halted when her words became clear.

"...kind of incredible. Sure, he kind of terrifies me, but he's also protecting me. Well, protecting us." There was a brief pause before she continued. "If it wasn't for him, neither of us would be here right now. He could have let me die when we first met, you know."

Nick withdrew his hand and quietly leaned against the wall, curious to see where this was going.

"But he didn't. You're dad's one of a kind."

Hearing Adalind of all people talk up his best qualities was a novelty he couldn't tear himself away from, and so he listened on.

"He's kind. And for a Grimm, that's sort of insane. But, he does what's right... even if it costs him-everything." She sighed. "I cost him everything, Noah."

His heart skipped a beat. _She named him?_ It was annoying that she had done it without him, but the name rang through his head and resonated in his heart. Noah sounded just right. He'd have to look up what it meant later.

"And he just keeps on doing it, the right thing." She sounds dejected. "I don't deserve it."

It's quiet for a moment, then he hears what sounds like a sniffle before she continues. "He's doing it for you, you know. He loves you. I don't know what's gonna happen when you're born, but I know Nick will take care of you."

More sniffles. Nick doesn't have the heart to enter now. What would she say if she knew he was standing outside her door listening? What would he say to a sniffling woman who represented everything that had gone wrong in his life?

Nick turned away. Back down the hall where he'd come from. They were alright. That's what he'd come to find out.


	3. Chapter 3

Twelve hours of waiting in a room with a woman he wanted to strangle. _Moral high ground, my foot_ , Nick thought as he battled with the dual urge to comfort her by letting her crush his fingers in her vice grip or smother her with a pillow. _Just stay calm. Just stay calm._ He chanted inside his head.

What Nick hadn't expected was the quiet, peaceful way the world shifted when their son was officially here. All of a sudden, his life now contained this tiny precious little person-and Adalind-forever. Life was never going to be the same again just like the day he found out he was a Grimm.

As he held this tiny little life, he felt his heart open up. And before he knew what he was doing, he directed this beaming smile at Adalind.

"It's our son," his voice radiant and full of pride.

After handing him back to Adalind, the glow slowly tappered off. The exhaustion was hitting, but he wouldn't sleep. He watched her make cooing sounds to their son and wondered if she'd done the same with Diana.

 _Diana._ He froze. The cold realization hit him like a truck. He had taken that away from her. This, right here. He had helped destroy that in her life. Taken a life from her. Just like Juliette had taken his mother's life from him. He _was_ a monster.

Suddenly, Nick couldn't get enough air in his lungs. He muttered an 'I'll be back' and fled to the hallways, to the stairs, down three levels until he hit the door and the pavement outside.

Gasping for oxygen as his head spun, he stumbled backwards and leaned against the building as he grappled with the all consuming tightness in his chest at the thought of someone taking his son from him. This spinning didn't stop until he slumped down the brick wall and passed out on the cement sidewalk.


	4. Chapter 4

"Nick? Nick!" Monroe's face hovered over him as he slowly registered the hard ground he sat on and brick wall he was slumped against.

"Monroe?"

"Nick, thank God. What happened? Is everything alright? Adalind? The baby? What happened? What are you doing out here? What's wrong?"

Nick clutched at his chest and tried to keep his rising anxiety down forcibly as he started huffing again.

"Wait, Nick. Are you having a panic attack?" Monroe's eyes widened. His blutbad friend immediately looking around for help which was sure to be found sitting outside a hospital. They'd probably be showing up any minute, but Monroe had seen him go down just as he arrived.

"Just give me a minute." Nick gave Monroe a hard look that cause an unintentional woge.

"Oookay." Monroe put his hands up in the air and then waited for his friend to calm down in silence, surprised that no one came to check on them.

When the Grimm finally had control of his lungs once again he laid his head back on the cool brick wall and stared out at the sky. Monroe waited for Nick to speak.

"I did it to her," Nick stated calmly, with a hint of sadness.

"Did what?"

"I stole her life from her." The puzzled look on Monroe's face showed he wasn't catching on. "With Diana."

Sudden realization dawned on Monroe's features, "Ohhhh.

"But, you did that to protect the kid."

"Which didn't even work in the end." Nick pointed out morosely, "but that's not the point. I took away the most important thing in her life. And I've got the audacity to complain about everything she's done to me. I've done just as much damage to her life as she's done to mine."

"What about Juliette's life?" Monroe asked tentatively.

"She made her choice." He glimpsed simmering rage in Nick's eyes and didn't push it. Monroe decided it'd be best to just sit there on the cement with his best friend until Nick was ready to go back inside.


	5. Chapter 5

The next couple of weeks were exhausting, but they were also amazing. It was the third week after Noah's birth when Nick had just arrived with some groceries. After the hospital, Nick moved Adalind and Noah into his house. He'd placed the bags of groceries on the floor, turned around, and reset the new alarm system he'd installed. He knew it wasn't fool proof, but it was better than nothing.

Leaving the groceries on the floor, he swiftly climbed the stairs like a cat, deftly avoiding all the squeaky spots. He strode down the hallway to the nursery/guest bedroom Adalind and the baby were staying in. With one hand on the wall and the second on the doorknob, Adalind's voice stilled his entrance again.

"You need to learn from him, how to be a good man." Her words were accented by great big sniffles. "Even if I'm not here, ok?"

 _Does she still think I'm going to kill her?_ Nick's heart was racing. _Is she planning on leaving us?_ This eavesdropping turned out to be a bad idea. _What did she mean by that?_ Nick leaned on the wall to support his wait, head on his arm, breathing coming in fast short bursts. The rushing in his ears nearly drowned out the next thing out of Adalind's mouth on the other side of the door.

"Juliette will never forgive me." Adalind said with finality.

 _What?_ His mind raced to catch up. _Ohh._ Nick heaved a sigh of relief before he realized her full train of thought. Juliette could tear apart everything from them. She'd done more damage in one week than Adalind had done in years of back and forth rivalry. Adalind may have destroyed a relationship for him and turned Juliette into a hexonbiest, but it was Juliette's choice to hand his mother over to the royals to be executed.

Another snot-filled sniffle from the other side of the door pulled him back from the path his thoughts were tumbling down.

"Anyway, don't mind Mommy." Sniff. "It's just the postpartum depression talking." Another sniffle and she cleared her throat. "You're gonna be fine." Sniff. "Just fine."

Nick silently withdrew his hand from the doorknob, not wanting Adalind to know he'd been eavesdropping on her. He crept back downstairs, scooped up the bags and headed into the kitchen. Then bellowed, "I'm home," and proceeded to put the groceries away while giving Adalind some time to collect herself.


	6. Chapter 6

The jingle over the door drew Rosalee out from behind a stack of boxes she was sorting for inventory.

"Oh, hi Nick. How's the baby?"

"Um. Good. Noah's doing just fine." Nick was glancing around the store.

"Is there a problem?" Usually a visit from the Grimm heralded trouble. It be nice if this wasn't one of those times.

"Do you have anything for," he hesitated, "postpartum depression?"

"Uh, yeah." Rosalee blinked a couple of times as she processed the request. "I should be able to put something together. For a hexonbeist?"

Nick nodded, not making eye contact. He tried not to flinch at the word 'Hexonbeist.'

"Is everything alright?"

"Uh, yeah. It's..." Nick looked around uncomfortably again as if he was on look-out, "It's just in case. That's all." He finished with a short smile, finally meeting her eyes.

"Ok." Rosalee nodded. "Swing by later this afternoon and I'll see what I can whip up."

"Thanks Rosalee." He smiled warmly. As he exited, the door jingled at his departure.


	7. Chapter 7

Adalind arrived home with the infant car seat dangling from one hand and an over-sized grocery bag of diapers, wipes, and accessories. _Who knew you needed a new diaper every other hour of the day,_ Adalind thought to herself. She gently set the car seat and its slumbering bundle on the kitchen floor and then heaved the giant bag of holdings onto the counter. A small note and brown paper bag next to the sink caught her attention. Curious, she picked up the note.

 _Adalind,_

 _I don't know if you'll need this or not, but I've heard it's pretty common for woman after having a baby. So, I figured it'd be good to have in the house just in case._

 _Nick_

The bag was labeled with 'Postpartum Depression' and had instructions for an herbal tea. _How?_ Adalind sighed. _Have I been that obvious?_

She reached into the cabinet to pull out a cup and noticed her hand was shaking. _Deep breath,_ she reminds herself, then pulls out a coffee mug and fills it with water. The microwave would have to do. Following the directions, she sets up the tea to seep while she sets Noah down in his crib and puts the supplies away.

As she sits down to relax with her new cup of tea, tears start to fall as she sips the remedy from the spice shop. And she just can't seem to make them stop.

* * *

When Nick arrives home, he finds Adalind perched on the couch, clutching a mug of what he assumes is the tea he left, with red, puffy eyes and tear streaks down her face. _Oh my god._ He hadn't actually picture what she'd looked like on the other side of the door sobbing the other night. _I shouldn't have left her alone all this time._

"Adalind?" He asks hesitantly. The mere sight of him seemed to bring on more tears. She choked down a few sobs before giving up, her shoulders heaving while she wheezed in as deep of a breath as her constricted airways would allow.

"I... Is it not working?" Nick asked delicately. He wasn't really sure how to fix this.

The crying grew louder. She shook her head, blond hair flapping around her face.

"I can find out if Rosalee has anything else," he suggested.

This appeared to be the wrong thing to say too when she clenched her eyes shut.

Adalind sucked in a giant breath and managed to wail out between her loud crying, "WHY ARE YOU SO NICE TO ME?"

Nick was dumbstruck and completely out of his depth. Tentatively, he stepped forward and put his hand on her shoulder. Pat. Pat.

Adalind looked up at him like he'd just told her he believed in aliens. _Ok, not the effect I was going for._

"Hey." He slid down next to her on the couch and pulled her into a sideways hug. One arm around her shoulders. When he failed to come up with something else to say, he settled on alternating between hesitant pats on her shoulder and stuttered brushes along her bicep. _This might go down as the most awkward hug in history._

When her crying continued, he settled on just wrapping both arms around her and holding her tightly which in turn made her cry even harder. He contemplated backing away, but with her fervent tears came hands clutching the front of his shirt. And he's pretty sure that pulling away now will definitely make things worse.

Resigned to his current salt-n-snot bath, Nick holds onto the shuddering little blond sobbing into his work shirt until her sobs get fewer and farther between. He rubs her back and even finds his cheek resting on top of her head.

As soon as he realizes he's cuddling, he lifts his head up and gives her a few more awkward pats. Thankfully, she slowly detaches herself from his now two toned blue shirt in favor of wiping her eyes.

"Thanks, Nick." She says in a hoarse voice. "I needed that."

Nick nods a little, stopping himself from saying 'anytime' because he's really not sure he can handle coming home to that every night. "Sure," he nods again. "Do you want me to check with Rosalee?"

For a brief moment, he fears the tears will start up again, but Adalind shakes her head. "No, let me try it for a while..."

Another strained moment passes, the two looking anywhere but at each other.

"Ok." Nick stands up, putting some distance between them. "Well, let me know. I'm a-gonna say goodnight to Noah."

Adalind nods silently.

"Are you gonna be alright?" Adalind finally lifts up her eyes to meet his, honest and sincere.

"Yeah," she nods back at him, "I think so."


	8. Chapter 8

Adalind shifted in the spare bedroom in Nick's house. Even with the sleeping baby boy in the crib just a few feet from her bed, staying in the room that was once meant for her and Diana did nothing to ease her depression. It didn't seem right. None of this was right.

 _I should have been in a penthouse and a valued member of the royal family._ She huffed and threw the covers off herself. She wasn't getting any sleep tonight. Adalind slipped out of bed and pattered down the hallway barefoot, trying not to make a sound. Down the stairs and into the kitchen to make another cup of herbal tea.

 _Though at this point, I'd settle for not being on someone's hit-list,_ she thought as she opened the cabinet and took out a coffee mug.

She closed the cabinet door. Then, proceeded to jump nearly a foot in the air, arms flailing, coffee mug flung God knows where, and sucking in a giant breath about to scream bloody murder upon seeing a shadowed figure standing in the kitchen doorway.

A blur of movement whizzed past her vision and suddenly Nick was crouched in front of her holding the coffee mug. She glanced up to the empty doorway, eyes frantically searching for signs of Juliette. Clutching the counter behind her, her chest heaved out big breaths of air.

"Are you TRYING to give me a heart attack?" Still glancing around the room, she tried to get her breathing under control. Nick slowly stood up, timidly offering the cup.

"Sorry," he averted his gaze and gestured around the room, "I was just checking the house. Thought I heard something."

Adalind gave him a side glance look that had 'No _shit_ , Sherlock' written all over it as she turned back to the sink. She filled the cup with water, then threw it in the microwave for a minute and 15 seconds before placing her hands down on the counter and taking a deep breath.

"I'm gonna... go doublecheck the security system." Nick had installed a brand new security system before he allowed her to move in here. It wasn't foolproof-not to a hexonbeist anyway. _Best false sense of security money can buy,_ Adalind thought ruefully.

Actually, it was probably more of a midrange cost system, but she wasn't going to stick her nose up at a 10 second warning alarm telling her to kiss her ass goodbye. The microwave beeped.

"Checks out." The Grimm appeared with silent footing again in the doorway. Adalind internally started, but her guard was still up from his previous creep up on her.

"You've gotta stop doing that," she said with an exasperated smile. She took the hot mug out of the microwave and added the tea leaf and powder concoction Rosalee had whipped up for her. Probably be a while before she noticed a difference, she figured.

"Can't really help it, unless I deliberately stomp around the house." Nick's lips turned up the side in his classic half smile. _God, he's gorgeous when he smiles,_ Adalind couldn't help thinking. She snorted a tiny breath out through her nose, then gave him a little smile back. It was strange being on the receiving end of his smile given their past.

She held the steaming mug under her nose and took a deep breath. She'd done so much to hurt him. _I knew he'd protect his child, but I never thought he'd actually be nice to me._ It was surreal.

When she ventured to look up at him, she swore he was staring. She was about to say something when he cut in.

"Well, I'm gonna go back to bed." He gave her a small, uncertain smile and turned away. Softly, over his shoulder he added, "Goodnight, Adalind."

"Goodnight," her voice barely a whisper, but she suspected he still heard her.

* * *

Nick lay wide awake in bed. If he thought it was difficult falling asleep a few hours ago, it was damn near impossible now with all these thoughts floating through his mind.

Adalind's face filled with fear in the kitchen, sheer terror stricken. At first, it reminded him of all the Wessen reactions to meeting a Grimm for the first time. His reflexes kicked in without thought and he found himself catching the cup just before it hit the floor and smashed to bits. That's when he saw her scanning the room for someone else. It wasn't him she was afraid of.

 _Well that's a change,_ he thought. He moved slowly after that so as not to frighten her further, mumbled a sorry and an explanation that sounded obviously stupid to his own ears. Apparently it sounded just as obtuse to her.

He excused himself to go check the security system that he knows full well is working properly, but he needed a moment to collect himself. He wasn't use to seeing what's behind the mask. It's unnerving, seeing Adalind of all people act like a normal human being.

When he slinked back to the edge of the kitchen, he watched her for a moment. It was positively domestic. The short blond standing in front of the microwave heating up a cup of tea. _How the hell did this happen?_ Retorically speaking of course, he knew the answers, but it didn't settle his nerves at all which were a jumbled mess. Seething anger had given way to irration. Shock had given way to apprehension. And antipathy was slowly being washed away, replaced by what? He didn't know. Sometimes it looked an awful lot like protectiveness. Nick shook his head and took a deep breath.

"Checks out." _Better to let her know I'm here before she's holding scalding hot water,_ he thought dryly.

To his surprise, she didn't jump or even flinch. Either she'd heard him, doubtful since she'd suppressed her powers, or the mask was back up. She cocked her head at him with a smile, and it was good to see a smile on her face even if it was just her hiding place. He recognized it now.

Still, it gave him some familiarity to strike up some banter, picturing himself traipsing around the house with heavy boots. He couldn't help the smile that crept up at the thought.

It earned him a faint, little laugh and then he was graced with a real smile, soft and subtle. It was worth a little self depreciation. It was like seeing her slowly lower her mask for a peek, and all it had taken was him being himself. He made a mental note to keep doing that. _Something that actually works,_ he thought to himself. It wasn't until she looked up at him that he realized he was staring.

Looking away, he quickly made his exist trying to keep the nervous edge out of his tone by lowering his voice. As an afterthought, he added a goodnight, because that's what he would have said if... He stopped that train of thought.

His sensitive ears picked up her whispered goodnight easily as he climbed the stairs. Another soft smile naturally formed on his features.


	9. Chapter 9

Nick's darkened bed was illuminated only by passing moonbeams that escaped from behind the curtains. The air was thick and hazy like an oppressive summer night. Hot hands lightly traveled up the sides of his torso, leaving tingles in their wake. He tried to breath deeply, but the summer air was suffocating. Lips brushed his and he leaned up into them, soft and lush.

His arms were heavy on the bed. One hand clenched in a tangle of sheets, the other up near his head pinned down by a warm hand and intertwined fingers, sending a rush of tingles down his spine. The caressing lips grew more insistent, deeper, never letting up. He felt like he was drowning, but wanted more. He arched up trying to meet the soft blond curls brushing his chest. Eventually writhing on the bed, in an effort to unpin his legs.

The kiss broke. He leaned up to follow and felt taunt skin and bare teeth. Instantly, he felt a cold chill down his spine. He looked up and froze.

Above him sat a graying brunette hexonbeist. His heart jumped into his throat. He twisted to the side, one hand still caught in the hexonbeist's grasp, reaching for the pistol in his night stand. But the hexonbeist wrenched him backward, grabbing his other wrist, overpowering him even as he flailed. The long sinewy fingers wrapped so tight, he thought his wrists would snap.

His legs joined the desperate fight for freedom as the hexonbeist tried to push him back down onto the bed. Exposed, decaying teeth reached for his throat. Terror rose up in Nick that he hadn't felt since his Grimm abilities had first surfaced. As he lost the battle and she lunged at his neck, he finally forced out a shout.

He sprang forward and found himself alone, twisted in sweat drenched sheets. His bare chest rising and falling quickly as he tried to catch his breath. He glanced around the room. The window was open, letting in the humid summer air. His legs were completely tangled in his sheets. He dropped his head back on the pillow still breathing heavily. Looking at the clock he let out a groan, 4:34 AM. _There's no way I'm going back to sleep after that._

Nick gave himself another minute to calm down, then disentangled his legs and threw the sheets off. He threw on a pair of jogging clothes and silently let himself out of the house. He reset the alarm, then took off down the road in the hopes of burning off the adrenaline pumping through his veins. _This is gonna be a long day,_ Nick thought as he passed the empty houses surrounding his lot.


	10. Chapter 10

Adalind awoke to Noah's crying. It started out quiet and steadily grew louder the longer it took her to get out of bed. Lumbering over to his crib, she picked him up and grimaced as his demand for breakfast reached new heights.

Quickly, she changed his diaper and then carried him downstairs to the kitchen. One major disadvantage to sleeping on the second floor... the bottles were that much further away and Noah had no sense of space or time yet. All he knew was that he was hungry and somebody had better fix it NOW. Adalind snickered at the thought as she prepared his bottle.

"You're in for a rude awakening when you find out life never gets any better, Kiddo." She teased and then checked the bottle's temperature, walking into the living room.

He had gained over 1 lb since he was born and was an inch taller already. He'd be four weeks old tomorrow. _Maybe we'll celebrate by mommy eating a cupcake._ She chuckled to herself.

Holding the bottle up for him, she settled in on the couch to rest her back while she waited for her turn to eat. _If I had my powers, I'd be brewing a cup of coffee and cooking eggs from here._ She sighed. _What a waste of a cure._

Noah pulled back just long enough to burp and make a face before opening his mouth expectantly. Adalind gave him back the bottle and smiled down at him, lost in the wonder of his dark eyes. _At least it was worth a try._ Adalind kissed the top of his head. "You're worth every bit of normalcy."

* * *

It wasn't until Adalind trucked her bundle of joy back up the stairs that she noticed Nick's bedroom door cracked open. She took a moment to set the sleeping infant down in his crib, then snuck back out into the hallway. Nick's door was _**never**_ open. _It's like he has a privacy issue or something. It's not like I've never seen his room before._ She thought. _Then again, maybe that's the point._ She mentally shrugged.

A peak through the opening revealed a silent room save for the open window with a gentle breeze blowing the curtains. She noticed his bed was donned the same blue sheets from the day she'd slept with him, but the sheets were even more rumpled than after their afternoon foray. _Either somebody had wild, hot sex last night or he had a very bad night's sleep._ Adalind was leaning towards the latter. _I'm pretty sure I would have heard crazy, hot sex across the hallway._

She was just about to close the door when another thought occurred to her, _Omg, what if he was masturbating furiously?!_ She couldn't help giggling to herself. After a minute of muffled manic laughter it also dawned on her that she was spending WAY too much time by herself.

Sighing, she gently pulled the door shut to give Nick some semblance of privacy in case he hadn't realized he'd left the door open. He should be home later that evening. Maybe it would be nice to have an actual meal together. She hadn't been eating much, what with her nerves and depression ruining her appetite.

She made her way back downstairs to pick out an easy diner and have some more tea.


	11. Chapter 11

Nick arrived home at ten after eight that night. He was right about it being a long day. The Vic of his latest homicide case he was a child. It did things to his psyche he'd never imagined. He was shaken to his core. All he wanted was to see that Noah was alright.

He walked through the house like a zombie, heading up the stairs where he knew Noah'd be sleeping. Gently, he wrapped on the door twice in case Adalind was inside. When no answer came, he cracked the door open and stuck his head inside.

The lights were off and all was calm. He stepped inside, silently padding over to the crib. Nick felt a flood of relief as he looked down at their sleeping infant, tiny breaths visible in the dark with his enhanced vision. Nick smiled down, resting his hands on the side of the crib as he watched his son sleep.

A barely detectable sound, the rustle of fabric, sent Nick into high alert, reflexively jerking his head toward the sound. It was only Adalind. Standing in the open doorway, her golden locks of hair backlit by the hallway light reminded him of the dream he'd had last night. He couldn't control the blush that crept into his cheeks at the memory, making him grateful he was mostly in shadow.

"Hey." She cocked an unsure smile at him. He gave her a half smile back, but couldn't muster anything more. His heart still ached from the case. Looking back down at Noah, it started to soak in just how many odds were against Noah. It was dangerous enough growing up in a normal family, let alone one that hunts monsters of the night. And how would his mixed heritage work? Half grimm, half zauberbiest? _Hope the kid doesn't end up suicidal from internal conflict,_ Nick thought trying to lighten his mood albeit in the most morbid way possible. Being a cop was hard enough, adding in the Grimm factor and his personal life spinning out of control left him teetering on the edge of insanity lately.

Lost in thought, he hadn't noticed Adalind join him until she brushed her hand down his arm. He supressed a shiver and tried not to flinch away from her. She still gave him mixed feelings. It wasn't all her fault, and he tried to remember that.

"Long day at work?" She asked in a quiet voice. Nick sighed, might as well be honest.

"A kid," he warred with how much he should share. "His body was found on the side of the road off the highway." He finished quietly. He felt her flinch when he elaborated, but she didn't take her hand away. Maybe he should have kept it to himself. Then, she squeezed his arm reassuringly.

"I'm sorry." He could see her schooling away her emotions into what she wanted to show him. "Come on. You should eat something."

"I'm not really hungry." Nick spoke in a low voice as he followed her out of the room, watching the ground in his depressed state. He pulled the door shut behind him gently.

When he looked up again, Adalind was facing him with both eyebrows raised and her chin down in a look that said _you're going to eat whether you like it or not_.

"Well, somebody's perfected The Mom Look already," he joked.

"Of course, I've perfected The Look, I've been cooped up in this house for a month. What else am I gonna do with my time?" A genuine smile crept across her face before she turned to head down the stairs. Nick took a moment, _She really is beautiful when she's not concocting dastardly plans._

Nick followed her down the stairs and into the kitchen expecting her to pull out some sort of sandwich meat and bread. Instead, she pulled out a bottle of sparkling water and told him to go pour them each a glass in the dining room while she warmed up dinner. _Huh._

"Ok," Nick quirked his eyebrow up before heading into the dining room. He nearly dropped the glass bottle when he walked into the room. The table was set in a casual, yet elegant look for two, fresh linens and thankfully, no candles. It made him feel at home for the first time in nearly five months since his relationship ended with Juliette. In the rush of grimmwork, murders, and a baby, he hadn't even realized that he was missing the every day life he use to have. It was wonderful.

He heard Adalind switching plates in the microwave. Quickly, he poured two glasses of sparkling water and couldn't quite help the smile off his face. A minute later Adalind came in with a plate in each hand. He took one to lighten the load and sat down in his customary seat at the head of the table. Adalind sat in the seat to his right.

Nick stared down at his plate full of steamed vegetables, mashed potatos, and an overcooked steak. It made him so happy, he could cry.

"Nick?"

"Hmm?" Finally looking up at Adalind who held a fork full of green beans.

"Are you ok?" She looked like she was holding back laughter.

"I... yeah," Nick bobbed his head. "Yeah. Thank you... This looks delicious." Then, promptly dove in. The steak was as dry as it looked, but it wasn't fast food or from a vending machine, which was a great change of pace.

"You're welcome," Adalind took a sip of her water. "I thought it'd be nice to have a real meal for once." Nick nodded enthusiastically.

"Definitely." He chuckled softly. Adalind joined in with her own soft laughter as he stuffed his face like a starving animal.

"Hey, tomorrow makes 4 months old for Noah." Adalind piped in after they finished most of their meal. "I thought we'd celebrate."

"Oh. Well, I have the day off." Scooping up the last of his green beans. "What did you have in mind?"

Adalind snorted and started laughing. _I'm not sure what was so funny about that..._ It was that full body laughter that's infectious and he found himself smiling without even knowing what was going on.

"Oh god, sorry. I talk to the baby a lot." _I noticed,_ Nick thought, as Adalind continued laughing under her breath. "I told him mommy would eat a cupcake for him." As soon as she completed her sentence she started laughing again. The infectious laughter rolled on and before he knew it, he was laughing along with her.

By the time he could talk, his eyes shined with unshed tears of laughter. "Ok, deal. I'll pick up cupcakes." Adalind covered her mouth in an effort to stem her laughter. Nick found himself giving her a full, toothy smile with the promise of cupcakes. "But you're making diner." He pointed at her with his fork and Adalind nodded her assent.

That night, they each went to bed with a grin on their faces in their respective rooms.


	12. Chapter 12

As Nick lay alone in bed, his mind drifted in a contented sleep he hadn't felt in months. There was soft laughter and sunbeams filtering through his mind. He turned this way and that looking for the source of the laughter. Then, he was tumbling down a grassy slope, tangled in the sunbeams and surrounded by warm laughter.

When he landed, he was on top of her, like she'd been there all along. Her playful smile beaming up at him from a bed of golden locks. She leaned up to capture his lips in a kiss. As he bent to follow her teasing escape, their lips met over and over in brushes that sparked and fed tantalizing promise of more.

Knock, knock, knock. Nick woke with a start, breathing heavily and disoriented from the sudden change of scenery. The knocking returned followed by Adalind's voice.

"Nick? I'm making breakfast, do you want anything?" Nick was still catching his breath. A number of highly inappropriate requests ran through his mind which he tamped down with minimal effect.

"Um, eggs?" He said loud enough to be heard through the closed door. "What ever you're having in fine."

"Ok, should be ready in 15 minutes." She called through the door.

"Thanks." He said just before he heard her walking back down the hallway. His breath still coming in short bursts, Nick looked down at the tent in his pants. _Thank god she didn't open the door._ He thought as he plopped his head back on his pillow. He was also immensely grateful that he didn't have to walk down the hall to get to the bathroom.

Nick hefted himself out of bed. His bare feet felt cool against the hard wood floor. He needed a shower, preferably a cold one. As he slipped off his pajama pants and turned the water on, it occurred to him, _This isn't going away._ Nick rested his head on the outside wall of the shower in defeat and turned the heat up on the faucet.

He wanted to bang his head on the wall. _I should **not** be having these kind of thoughts about Adalind._ As steam filled the room, he stuck his hand in the shower to check the temperature. It was hot like a summer day and reminded him of Adalind's hair fanning out around her face.

He slipped into the shower, warmth surrounding him and bringing back the rest of the dream. Lost in the thought of those tantalizing kisses while the the water ran down his face, across his chest, and pooled in his cupped hand. "Mmmmm."

It felt so wrong, which only added to the allure. Images danced across his closed eyelids of the night he'd seen everything there was to see of Adalind to get his powers back. Then, the simmering embers of the dream from two nights ago when hands traced up his sides. Nick's ragged breath got louder before he cut it off by biting his bottom lip.

It was over quickly. One arm resting on the shower wall, his head resting on it as he let the water wash away all signs of his morning activities. Nick huffed. This wasn't getting any easier.

* * *

When Nick came down for breakfast, Adalind was just setting the food on the table. Noah was snoozing in his little bassinet on the floor next to Adalind's chair; apparently infants slept about 18 hours a day for the first couple of months. But look out when they woke up!

Nick couldn't count the number of nights he'd jumped out of bed thinking someone was being murdered. It only took once though of barging into Adalind & Noah's room only to find her nursing for him to learn to listen outside the door for signs of trouble first. _God, that had been embarrassing._

Adalind's words yanked him back to reality as he reached the table, a playful smile stretched across her face. "Have a good shower?"

He couldn't stop the blush that rushed up his neck and into his cheeks as he diverted his eyes.

"Uh, yeah..." Looking anywhere else but at her, he settled on the delicious looking food on the table. "This looks good."

"Breakfast is my specialty." Adalind obliged his diversion as she sat down in between him and Noah. The two ate in amicable silence for a while before the detective's voice broke the spell.

"So, do you need anything from the store other than cupcakes?" The banter between them was coming easier every day. Adalind snorted under her breath. He was getting use to that too. It was kind of endearing and couldn't help smiling at her whenever she did it.

She gave him a short list. After breakfast, leaning in he almost kissed her goodbye before remembering that they were **not** in a relationship. _God, that was close._ Then, he quickly headed out the door. _This just gets awkward sometimes,_ he thought.

Otherwise, their time together ran like a well tuned clock. He'd learned how to mix formula and heat up a bottle. She seemed to take pleasure in torturing him with diaper training. It was almost as if it was training in case of her absence. Nick did his best to shake that thought as he picked up each item at the grocery store.

When he returned home with one armful of groceries and a tray of cupcakes balanced in the other, Adalaid was rocking Noah in her arms around the living room. Nick put the groceries down next to the door and reset the alarm, never taking a chance even when he was home. He slid the tray of cupcakes onto the coffee table and smiled up at the two of them.

Motherhood really was becoming on Adalind. As self serving as she had been in the past, there wasn't a hint of that when it came to her child. He'd never even seen her complain about being woken up at all hours of the night or being too tired to attend to their little guy.

"You wanna go see daddy?" Adalind asked Noah with baby talk inflections in her voice. She passed the wide awake swaddled boy to Nick. He cradled the little guy in his arms and bounced him very lightly; hearing the sound of a grocery bag being toted into the kitchen in the background.

"Hey," Nick looked down with the biggest smile on his face. Noah's little eyes blinked a couple of times, and Nick thought he glimpsed blue irises. It was still too early to tell what color his eyes would turn out to be though. Nick tried to think of a conversation to have with the half asleep tike, but Noah seemed perfectly happy with the silence. Unlike Adalind, he didn't seem to possess the natural ability to strike up a conversation with someone who couldn't talk back. It made him feel somehow distant. He hoped that would change as time went on.

Nick lifted up his head when he felt eyes on him. Smiling easily as Adalind came over to lift the now sleeping baby out of his arms and gently placed him in the bassinet on the living room floor.

"I see somebody made good on their cupcake promise," Adalind teased as she sat down on the couch and patted the seat cushion next to her. He chuckled as he sat down next to her, the blond already reaching out for the tray of cupcakes. She took out two and handed him a chocolate one with blue frosting.

"What should we toast?" She asked. Nick raised his eyebrows at toasting with cupcakes, but indulged her all the same.

"To four weeks of survival training," He said as he held his cupcake up. Adalind smiled and then added her own toast somewhat soberly.

"To not being dead," Adalind nodded and tapped her cupcake against his. The color drained from his face as he watched her bring the purple frosted cupcake to her lips. He had the sudden urge to kiss her frosting covered lips and tell her no one was ever going to hurt her.

But he couldn't promise that. He wanted to, and he would do anything to make it true, but it wasn't a promise he could guaruntee. Slowly, he brought his own cupcake to his lips and took a nibble.

"You're not gonna make me eat these cupcakes all by myself, are you?" She asked accusingly.

"Well," Nick paused to consider his words. "You're one who told him, Mommy was going to eat all his cupcakes." His face broke out in a shit eating grin.

Adalind pretended to be offended, then grasped his hand holding his own cupcake. His hand tingled and his heartbeat speed up. The wiseass look falling off his face. With a mischievous look in her eyes, she lifted his hand up while his guard was down and planted the frosting side of the cupcake up his nose and all over his mouth.

Nick opened his mouth in a gasp, trying not to inhale the frosting. Shocked that she'd actually done that, but determined not to be the only one wearing frosting. He lunged for the half eaten cupcake in her hand.

"Oh no," Adalind held the cupcake up over her head as she flopped backward onto the empty seat cushion behind her, laughing all the while. Nick wiggled up the couch right on top of her until he was within reaching distance of the cupcake. Just as he made a grab for the confection, she threw it on the floor with a splat.

"Did you just?" Adalind laughed even hard. Neither of them seemed to realize Nick was all but laying on top of Adalind. With no frosting in hand, Nick resorted to using what he already had... a face full of frosting. He stuck his nose right below Adalind's ear and smear his face all the way across her cheek.

Adalind's gasped and then let out an 'Uhhhg Gross,' but the curves of her lips were still pulled up in a smile. He looked down at her while their merriment slowly tapering away. Adalind hummed in contentment and that desire to lean down and kiss her returned full force.

He probably would have too if she wasn't covered in frosting. The idea of sticking his face back in it wasn't too appealing. He smiled at her and then bounded up off the couch in search of paper towels to clean up the frosting on the floor and their faces.


	13. Chapter 13

An uneventful week passed by with more baby lessons and evening meals together. Although they weren't a couple, it was really feeling more like a family every day. Adalind sighed wistfully, _I didn't realize how badly I wanted this._

She was just cleaning up the last bottle of the night in the kitchen, Noah balanced in her other arm, when she heard a strange scratching sound down the hall. Her blood froze as she looked down at Noah asleep in her arms.

She quickly ducked down and opened the island cabinet. She quietly slid a stack of pots and pans onto the kitchen floor and tucked Noah inside the cabinet. Then, she grabbed a pan off the top of the stack and taking a deep breath, stood up.

Even though she was expecting it, she still visibly flinched when she saw Juliette's figure standing in the kitchen doorway. She allowed her fear to flicker across her face and swallowed noticably. Then, she lunged behind her for a kitchen knife.

Before she could reach the set, she was yanked back towards the island by the throat, the metal pan clattering into the sink. Her back hit the island and she felt herself bent backwards over the counter. Tiny choked noises barely a whisper loud was all the sound in the room.

Then, she felt her airways open up, as if the invisible hand had been withdrawn. Adalind gasped and coughed as oxygen flooded her veins.

"I wouldn't want to end this too soon," Juliette mocked her. "Seeing as you can't do anything about it... Pitiful excuse for an alarm system by the way."

Adalind pulled herself upright and turned around, trying to put some distance between herself and Juliette's imposing form. She slid along side the counters toward the refrigerator as Juliette walked around the center island. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the handle of the knife she'd been reaching for slide out of it's sheeth. Her eyes widened. _Is she going to torture me?!_

Continuing her slow movements away from the knife now, Adalind found herself at the edge of the room. She took the opportunity and bolted down the hallway towards the wide open front door. But before she made it halfway, she was flung into a wall with a thud and dropped to the floor.

The next thing she knew, she was yanked up into a sitting position with that knife silently floating in front of her face.

"Please..." Adalind finally dared to speak. She just hoped that no matter what happened they wouldn't wake the baby. Maybe he'd be safe.

Juliette scoffed and the knife slashed at her. Flinching to the right lead the blade to slice a line below her earlobe down the side of her jaw. After the sting, she could feel wet streaks running down her neck.

"You stole my memories." Juliette's seething speech began through clenched teeth.

"You stole my family." Adalind's head was slammed up against the wall as pressure on her lungs made it feel like there was an elephant sitting on her chest.

"YOU STOLE MY LIFE," Juliette shrieked as she shifted into her full hexonbeist form. A sinewy arm lifted high in the air and slashed across the hallway. Adalind gasped as five gashes opened up right across her chest, one grazing her neck.

 _This is how it ends,_ Adalind thought as she heaved in air through her nerve-racked lungs as they tried to close up on her again. _Death by Juliette._

Her air supply was cut short again a moment later as she felt herself lifted fully off the ground, toes dangling uselessly off the ground. She clutched at her throat, but there was nothing to hold on it, nothing she could pry off. She mouthed another plea that went unheard.

Adalind kicked against the wall, but there was no footing to step onto. She was going to die this way. Fading out of consciousness, her lids slid shut and her vision went black.

* * *

Nick was at his desk at work, filling out the last of his paperwork for the night, when his phone sounded off an emergency tone. Dropping his pen, he picked up the phone.

"The secondary silent alarm for the _front door_ has been triggered. If this is a false alarm, please enter your access code now. To dispatch police immediately, press '0' now." Nick fumbled with the phone, pressing '0' and getting up from his desk. With shaking hands he grabbed his keys and left his jacket behind, heading straight for his car.

On his way to the car, he reflexively speed dialed Hank. Hank answered after two rings, "Hey, what's up?"

"Hank," Nick spoke a louder than necessary. "I need you to meet me at the house immediately."

Nick heard the rustle of fabric and keys slide across a counter top, "Alarm went off?"

"The back up alarm," Nick answered as he slid into his vehicle.

"Shit, Juliette." The sound of a jacket pulled on and Hank's front door opening followed.

"That's what I'm guessing." Nick thought about calling for more back up, but Rosalee was pretty pissed the last time Monroe was almost shot trying to help. He didn't want any more blood on his hands.

"On my way." Hank said as Nick started his car.

Nick hung up without another word. Pulling out of the precinct as fast as possible without getting into an accident. He was only a 5 minute drive away and the closest to the house. His knuckles were bone white as he gripped the steering wheel. Each turn taking an eternity.

When he finally pulled up outside his house he noticed two things. The first was that he'd obviously beaten dispatch. His second observation was that the front door was wide open. Nick threw the car in park and jumped out of the car, drawing his pistol before he made it around the car.

He found himself taking the steps two by two, hurtling himself up to the front of the house. It was eerily quiet, and Nick hoped to god he wasn't too late. As he came up to the open doorway, he saw Adalind dangling in the air, her feet at least 6 inches off the ground in the hallway.

His heart jumped into his throat as he noticed her feet weren't kicking out... She wasn't fighting. He was out of time. Gun already raised, he stepped over the threshold, pivoting towards her assailant and fired. Three shots sank into the chest of a graying brunette hexonbiest that quickly transformed back into the redheaded human whose hair had darkened along with her soul. Juliette's form collapsed to the floor.

It took the detective a couple of heartbeats before he could move. He'd just killed his ex girlfriend. _That's not going to look good,_ he thought as he fought off the shock running through his veins.

When he finally tore his eyes from Juliette's limp frame and got a look at Adalind, his blood froze. He raced towards her, gun still out, barely remembering to click the safety back on. The gun clattered to the ground as he reached for her.

"Adalind? Adalind?!" Even his voice was shaking as he bent over her unmoving body. Raw panic rose up as he turned her slightly, revealing gashes striped across her chest and blood running down her neck.

"Adalind!" Tears built up in his eyes as flashing lights bounced off the hallway walls. He couldn't breath, but he refused to let her go. "Don't you leave." The echo of promises in the night whispered to their son ringing through his ears. "Don't you go anywhere. You hear me?" He choked out.

Unconsciously, he began to rock with her in his arms as tears streamed down his face. Nick pressed his nose into her hair and kissed the top of her head. Somewhere behind him he heard Hank's voice, but he couldn't understand a word of it save for "ambulance."


	14. Chapter 14

The flashing lights grew brighter, followed by more footfalls in the hallway, the hallway that held so much death. Nick felt heavy hands pulling at his shoulders, a set of blue gloves shot out in front of his face. As if hearing underwater, a distant voice shouting to someone else, "...got a pulse."

Hank managed to pull Nick back long enough for two paramedics to ease Adalind's unconscious body onto the floor. Two sets of blue hands worked quickly to assess their patient. Nick watched as if through a surveillance monitor, distant and without sound. Hank continued to hold him by both arms, but he was a statue as he looked on.

"Nick," the short, clipped word as familiar, but went unheeded until it grew louder. "NICK."

His head jerked to the side, acknowledging he'd heard his name.

"Where's Noah?" Eyes widened immediately, taking in the scene, sweeping across, canvasing the area. When he didn't answer, Hank shook him. "Nick?!"

"I don't know," he got out in a shaky breath. An all new form of panic arose. His heart racing, he repeated, "I don't know."

Hank released him when he finally shifted to stand. On shaky legs, he stalked through the house, living room, dining room, listening intently all the while. He was thinking of heading upstairs when he heard a tiny whimper, muffled and faint close by.

He threw himself into the kitchen, eyes frantically searching the entire room all at once, but taking in nothing. He rounded the island counter and nearly tripped over a pile of pots and pans. He glanced at the counter to his right seeing a clean mixing bowl sitting sideways in the sink. _Adalind wouldn't have left this many pans out unless she was interrupted._ His analytical mind kicked in on autopilot, _This is where it began._

Nick stood stock still and concentrated on his hearing. The whimper sounded again, closer and seemed to bounce around an enclosed space. Opening his eyes, he looked down at the pile of pots and pans again. Suddenly, he was on the floor yanking the cupboard doors open.

Light flooded the little compartment as relief flooded his entire body. There inside lay a red-faced, grumpy Noah, struggling to get out of his swaddling blanket with the determination of a Hundjäger. Nick's heart swelled as he lifted the wriggling infant out of his hiding place with special care to support his neck. Wrapping both arms around him protectively, Nick held him close.

Adalind had managed to keep Noah safe, with no special abilities but a mother's instinct.

* * *

The next couple of hours streaked by in a haze. Filling out a report with Hank at the dining room table, the coroner clearing the body of Juliette Silverton from his living room floor, making a bottle and changing Noah in the midst of chaos.

The whirlwind quieted down around midnight.

Hank got word that Adalind was alright and they'd be keeping her for a few days. That's about when the crash rolled in. He let Hank know he'd be alright for the night and sent him home. Nick spent the next hour lightly bouncing Noah as he walked around upstairs. His son was none to happy about mommy's absence.

"I know," the detective adjusted his hold as he made another round down the hall. It took more muscle than he expected to carry 8 lbs around indefinitely. The tiredness seeping into his bones. "I know, I'm not the same as mommy."

He smiled when Noah finally started to drop off to sleep, all clean and fed. After placing the sleeping babe in the crib, Nick felt torn. He looked through the open door towards his room. It was too far away. With the scare they'd just had, the baby monitor didn't seem adequate.

Resigned, he kicked off his shoes and laid down on top of the guest bed Adalind had been sleeping in. _It's close and unoccupied, that's all that matters,_ Nick thought as he dropped off into unconsciousness.


	15. Chapter 15

Nick jolted out of bed at the sound of a cry. Immediately taking a defensive stance, he assessed the situation. He was in the guest room. It appeared to be free of any threats. Noah wailed out another cry, and reality hit him.

Adalind. Juliette. Cupboard. Guest bed.

He looked at the clock on the nightstand and rubbed his face. It was 6:40 am. That means he got about five hours of sleep. _At least he let me sleep **that** long,_ Nick thought as he looked down at Noah, whose feet were kicking in a furious attempt to dislodge his blanket. He was winning.

"Alright, time for breakfast!" Already wide awake, Nick picked up the wriggling baby and made his way downstairs. Socks sliding easily across the hardwood as they went as Noah cried all the way down.

Nick grabbed the portable bassinet on the way into the kitchen and gracefully placed the crying baby in it on the floor next to the island. Next, he snatched an empty bottle and mixed up the formula making a few splashes, but getting the job done efficiently.

"Aaaaand into the steamer," sounding off his mental checklist. "Two minutes for 8 onces."

He peered down at Noah with a big smile meant to amuse the hungry one. The baby hesitated for a couple of seconds at the attention, confusion clearly written all over his pink face, and then promptly resumed his screaming tyraid. "Ok. We are _not_ amused. I get it."

Nick scooped up the now unraveled bundle of limbs and carried him into the living room where they had an extra changing set up with diapers at the ready. It wasn't pretty, but Nick managed to get the job done with minimal poop smears to show for his struggle. The herald of beeping from the kitchen was a godsend as Noah had yet to calm down.

The adrenaline from his sudden wake up call was wearing off, and his sensitive ears were none too happy with him. Dragging them back into the kitchen, he lifted the bottle out of the steamer and dabbed some of it on his hand. He dabbed a couple of drops from the bottle on the back of his hand. The bottle tumbled from his hand (and nearly Noah with it) when the formula scalded him.

"Holy sh-!" Shaking his hand as he wondered what went wrong. He did exactly what Adalind had showed him. He's done this before with her. _What the hell did I do wrong?_ Gingerly, he picked up the bottle and barely got it counter level before he had to drop it again. _Thank god I checked it first,_ he thought with dismay.

Next logical option, ice cubes. Placing the horribly grumpy child (now wrapped up in a sloppy swaddle) back down in the bassinet, he grabbed a towel and pried open the baby bottle. He dropped in a couple of ice cubes and saw them get swallowed up immediately. _Really, **really** good thing..._

In the end, he decided he was just going to have to wait for it to cool down. He placed the bottle in the freezer and resolved to stand there for two minutes... lest it turn into an ice cube if he forgot it. Placing both hands on the island, Nick hung his head in exhaustion. _I should probably be making myself coffee right now... Something tells me I'm going to need it._

* * *

Nick was awoken from his nap on the couch by a knock at the door. It was irritating, but since it could be any number of officers, wessen, and/or friends after last night's fiasco, he figured he'd better answer it. A quick glance at the bassinet next to the couch told him Noah was still napping. _Thank god._

He shuffled his way to the front door in his white socks from yesterday. When the door opened, he was gratefully greeted by two of his closest friends.

"Nick! Hank called us first thing this morning," Rosalee started, her bright voice a bit shrill in his ears. He stepped aside to let them in, still a bit groggy, and raised a finger to his lips with a silent 'shhh.' Her eyes widening marginally.

"Oh, sorry," she whispered. Speaking in a hushed voice she added, "We came to see if you needed any help."

"Uhh," his brain was still in a fog.

"Dude, you look terrible." Monroe's serious expression overshadowed any lightness in his usual joking manner. Normally, he'd make a snide comment back, but even that idea seemed draining. He looked at his watch. _Is it really only 9 am?_

"Yeah..." He nodded. He never did get to the coffee. Nick groaned as he rubbed his face with both hands. "Just... yeah."

"I closed the shop for the day, so you've got us as long as you want." Rosalee smiled up at him in support.

"Yeah, have you heard anything about Adalind's condition?" Monroe's query was like a bucket of ice cold water. Nick's face paled slightly as his stomach clenched.

"Uh, no." Looking around for his cellphone. "No, I've gotta call in."

"Here," Rosalee spotted his cell on the couch and passed the device over. "If you want to go out for a visit, we can handle watching Noah."

"We can?" Monroe's eyes bugged out a little, but one look from Rosalee had him covering his tracks. Nodding his head in agreement, "I mean, yeah. Yeah, we got this."

Nick watched the exchange with amusement. Maybe he could get that cup of coffee afterall.


	16. Chapter 16

Walking down the hallway that reeked of sterilizers, Nick rounded the corner carrying two cups of hot coffee from the cafeteria downstairs. As he got closer, he counted off room numbers. A slight tremor shook his hands and the coffee splashed up into the lids.

When he reached room 413, he paused. Taking a deep breath, he tried to will his hands still. It worked for the moment. Before he could lose his nerve, he put on a bright smile and popped his head around the door frame. "Somebody order coffee?"

A blond, matted head of hair turned, revealing dark, baggy circles under Adalind's eyes that brightened when they took in the sight of Nick holding up coffee. As Nick approached the bed with a tentative smile, he stiffened at the sight her bandaged form. Even when he visited Juliette in the hospital, she never looked _this_ bad.

"You look like you took on a Siegbarste," the attempted joke fell a little flat with his voice low and serious. _She really did look like she took on an ogre._ He should know.

"Well," she rasped out. "We can't all be dashingly handsome Grimms, can we?" His stomach lurched at the sound. His attention immediately drawn to her throat. What had looked like a shadow from afar was, in fact, purpling bruises wrapped all the way around her throat. His lungs failed to take in oxygen as his chest tightened.

"Hey, don't crush the coffee." A delicate hand reached out, brushing his fingers as she grasped one of the cups. He nearly dropped the coffee at the contact. But her hand deftly caught it as he let go. He looked away embarrassed when he realized he was staring.

His heart was beating loudly in his ears. He hadn't let himself think about how close she'd come to death since Hank reported that she was out of danger at the hospital. Now that he could take it all in, it was like getting pummeled with waves in the ocean. One wave followed another, each with the crushing force strong enough to hold him down in the undertow.

The sideways glance she gave him seemed to project _you're being really weird, stop it._ In an effort to look discreet, he raised his paper coffee cup to his lips. The aroma helped to sooth his nerves a bit. A moment later, Adalind's face grew deathly serious. "Noah, Juliette didn't..."

"No! No," He responded quickly. "I got there when..."

He didn't know how to finish that sentence. _When you were strung up in the air? When you weren't breathing?_ He didn't even know when she'd lost consciousness. Every ending to that sentence made his stomach churn.

"He's fine." Nick nodded. Deciding it was best to keep his mind off it, he continued, "That was some quick thinking; tucking him away like a little stow away."

She sighed in relief and let out a sad little chuckle, the corner of her mouth twitching up just slightly. "I knew you'd find him."

Nick stared at her, his emotions all tangled up. The urge to wrap his arms around her followed closely by the fear of tearing open one of her wounds, causing more damage. He felt his eyes pouring out, trying to meet her halfway, but his muscles kept him glued to the floor.

"So, where is he?" She rasped out. "Not that I don't enjoy seeing _your_ face."

"At home, Rosalee and Monroe are taking care of him right now." He saw her tense up again. "What? They can handle it."

"No," a mere whisper before she tossed the blanket aside and grabbed the sheet to do the same.

"Whoa, where do you think you're going?"

"...'s not safe," She insisted even as he grabbed her arm to stop her.

"Adalind," He said tugging on her arm till she looked up with these tortured, scared eyes. "She's dead."

"What?" She looked at him disbelieving. He opened his mouth, the words just on the tip of his tongue, _I killed her._ But they didn't come out. Instead, he pulled her close and gently wrapped his arms around her.

"It's alright. Everything's gonna be fine."


	17. Chapter 17

Adalind shook in Nick's arms, a wave of relief racking her almost to the point of tears. But she was Adalind Schade and the greatest obstacle in her life had just been removed. She was not going to break down like some teenage damsel in distress.

Instead she focused on steadying her breathing. Once calm, she took a moment to appreciate the firm arms wrapped around her. Her cheek felt warm against his chest. She took another deep breath, focusing on the way Nick smelled of gun powder and coffee.

"You didn't shower," she mumbled into his shirt. Nick tried to pull away, but she held him firmly and nuzzled her face into his shirt. _I haven't been this relaxed in years,_ she thought.

"Well, I must not smell _that_ bad?" His chest rumbled gentle when he chuckled. It felt so warm and safe. _I could just curl up and live here._ It took a long silence before Adalind realized she was snuggling a Grimm. And he'd let her. She chuckled to herself.

As his arms slackened, she inhaled one more deep breath of Nick's aroma and disentangled herself from his shirt. Leaning back, Adalind took in the rest of his appearance. He wore the same clothes he'd left the house in for work yesterday, his shirt unusually rumpled.

She lifted up a hand to brush his cheek where a rough five o'clock shadow had grown. His breath hitched at her touch. With a gentle touch, he covered her hand and pulled it towards his lips. He pressed a soft chaste kiss with prickly edges against her knuckles.

In all her time spent with passionate in high places, none had ever made her feel like royalty like she did now. He held her hand close to his chest, over his heart. She didn't know what to say. No one had ever looked at her with this kind swell of affection before. For a moment, she couldn't breath.

Until a monitor behind her beeped loudly startling her. She flinched in his grasp. Much to her dismay released her slowly, her hand falling to her side. She laughed, but there was no depth behind it.

"When are they gonna let me out of here?" She looked up into hazel eyes.

"Why don't I go find out." She watches him walk away, stuffing his hands inside his pockets as he shuffles out the door. She can't help but wonder if she'll still be welcome at his house now that the crisis is over.

* * *

When Nick walks in the door of his house, he's hit with a cacophony of sounds. Running water, dishes tumbling around in the metal sink, and the beeping of the bottle steamer are prevalent, but Noah's cries cut through them all. With both eyebrows raised in concern he rounds the corner and finds Monroe in the living room rocking the screaming child to no avail.

"Everything alright?" Monroe turns to Nick with clear relief across his face.

"He is not a happy camper," as Nick approaches, Monroe shifts the baby so he can pass him off. "Rosalee should have the-"

"Here we go!" Rosalee comes to the rescue with a hot bottle, which he checks on the back of his hand. It was the right tempurature. He nearly melts with delight.

"You're steamer was out of water," he looks up at her. "I imagine you had a rough morning."

"Heh. You could say that." Tipping the bottle into Noah's mouth, the relief in the atmosphere was palpable as all sound ceased, save for the suckling the bottle. They drink in the quiet moment.

"Thank you guys for giving me a break," his voice is soft as he watches his infant grow sleepy even as he feeds. "I don't know how Adalind does this everyday."

"With patience and lots of love," Rosalee beamed down at the little boy in his arms. "I may not like hexonbeists, but I have to say, there's more to Adalind than I expected."

Nick took a deep breath, "Yeah. There is."


	18. Chapter 18

Adalind took a deep breath as she crossed the thresh-hold. Nick's hand on her elbow served as an emotional anchor as she faced the wall she'd been nearly choked to death against. They'd only kept her in the hospital for two days. Her heart beat wildly. She'd been eager to get back, but on the ride home, dread crept in. She took another steadying breath.

Instead of the eery silence, the sound of cooing and giggles floated through the house disorienting against the cold memory. A moment later, Rosalee's voice registered, and then Monroe's, coming from the living room. Nick wrapped a warm arm around her waist and gave her a reassuring smile. When they rounded the corner, her anxiety evaporated in the sunlight filtering through the windows and a picture she'd have never imagined.

The Fuchsbau and Blutbad were fawning her little Zauber-Grimm with bare feet wiggling wildly from his escaped swaddle. They were playing with his piggy toes. Adaland burst out laughing.

The two looked up in stunned confusion.

"What's up with blondie?" Monroe asked. She stifled the laugh, but couldn't wipe the smile off her face. Nick raised an eyebrow with his half smile.

"Oh, come on," She held her hand out in Rosalee and Monroe's direction. "How is this not funny?"

"Two friends watching our baby?" Adalind stared at the Grimm. _He seriously sees the world that way._ It was astounding.

"I was talking about the Blutbad taking the little Grimm's toes to the market, but friends are good too." She paused, "I mean, if they're ok with it. With me."

The whole room went silent.

"Adalind," Rosalee spoke up first. "We'll get there."

* * *

Steam rose up from the kitchen sink as Nick poured the boiling water and spaghetti into the strainer. Adalind was suppose to be resting upstairs, but he suspected she was watching Noah. Signs of the emotional trauma of losing a child showed in her last hours at the hospital. If they hadn't released her, him and Noah would have been spending the night there. Nick figured the least he could do was make dinner.

He ran back and forth setting the table and bringing out dinner. He was just finishing up when he noticed her small figure standing in the doorway with a closed off expression.

"Hey," he said as his smile reached his eyes.

"Why are you doing this?" The question hit him like a slap in the face.

"Well, we have to eat something." Nick joked.

Adalind stood stock still. And Nick couldn't help but think, _That's it. This is the moment she walks out the door._ A muscle tightened in his gut, preparing for the worst.

"Nick," she edged forward, "I asked Hank for a copy of the police report."

"What?" He hadn't thought about the report they submitted near midnight the night of the attack. Most of it was a blur. He just remembered making sure that nothing wesen related showed up, including some carefully placed finger prints on the knife that Juliette had technically never picked up.

"I needed to know what happend." She took another tentative step into the dining room. Nick took a deep breath.

"And?" He asked as he held out his arms.

"You shot her... a few times." Nick tensed up. His eyes hit the floor as his shoulders tightened. The muscles in his arms flexed as he stepped back. He still hadn't sorted out his feelings on the matter.

"I had to," he said, keeping his eyes averted. Part of him was ashamed, but the other part of him knew he'd do it again.

"No, you didn't." She took another step forward.

"It was the right thing to do." When he looked back at her, his eyes burned with conviction. Adalind looked away.

"Yeah, that's what you do." She seemed almost disappointed. Then continued with more confidence, "You always do what's right. No matter what."

She took another step forward. Nick involuntarily braced himself, for fight or flight, he didn't know.

"You could love the person and still end up saving your enemy instead... just because it's the right thing to do."

"Adalind," He took a deep breath like he'd forgotten to breath. All the heartache was rising to the surface. It didn't matter that he wasn't _in love_ with Juliette anymore; he had loved her. Adalind was right and it cut through him like a knife.

"Nick, why are you making me diner?" She asked abruptly.

The world tilted on its axis. _What?_ His brain stuttered inside his head as he floundered off kilter. He couldn't come up with an answer. _Good God, women change topics like a tornado,_ his mind failing to make the connection.

Nick swallowed as Adalind took the final step right into his personal space. She raised her right hand slowly as if he was a wild animal. In a way, he felt like one as he prepared for anything from a gentle touch to a slap across the face. His Grimm instincts ready to take over. What she did shocked him more than finding out he was a Grimm.

Delicate fingers sent tingling sensations down the back of his neck as they swept up into his hair. He let out a sharp gasp as she leaned into him, pulling herself tightly up against him. A second later, she tugged his head down, meeting his lips with her own. All of his scenes lit up.

All the oxygen seemed to rush out of his body. Even though he knew he took a deep breath, it did nothing, like hyperventilating during hypoxia. Sensations danced across his skin like fire and ice as he brushed his fingers up her sides. His lips tingled as he drank in the taste of her lips like honey. He dove in, their tongues danced in a dizzying heat. Tingles rushing up and down his spine as she clutched and carded her fingers through his hair.

He wrapped his hand around her lower back and pulled her as close as he could. Any friction. Anything. Everything. He wanted everything. And it was finally OK to admit it. Oh God, how he'd wanted this. Running his hands up her back and sinking them into her hair. He rubbed his fingertips along her scalp and heard her breathing speed up, felt it through his skin, in his lungs. One hand snaking down to pull her close by the hips while he continued to brushing his hand through her hair. He had her gasping and making little noises he'd never imagined.

She broke the kiss for a split second using what little air she had to breath out, "I want you," against his lips. Another heated kiss. Another quick breath, "God, I've wanted you." She gasped as he took the opportunity to lavish her neck with open mouthed kisses starting just below her jaw. "Since the day Noah was born."

He stopped, lips still latched onto her pulse point.

"Why?" He rasped out.

She didn't answer right away. He laid another gentle kiss on the side of her neck, still holding her. Her body shook in his hands. Nick nuzzled his face into the hair behind her ear and whispered, "Tell me."

Adalind's chest heaved with the big breath she took in, "No one's ever smiled at me like that before."

Nick tightened his arms around her as he swallowed the swell of emotion threatening to choke him.

"Stay," he whispered into her ear. She had no reason to stay anymore, except for him. "Stay."


	19. Epilogue

**You guys are fantastic! I wish I'd written this faster for you! My brain came to a screeching halt when the show started back up. *facepalm* Here is the final chapter. Thank you _all_ for your reviews and especially for reading along. :)**

* * *

Epilogue

* * *

That first night was the hardest. Mixed memories flooded Nick's mind when they tumbled into his bedroom. They didn't stop, but he had to frequently blink away images of Hexonbiests of the past that overlapped their moments together.

Over the next couple of weeks, as fresh memories replaced old wounds, the two grew accustomed to eachothers' presence in the dead of night. Weeks turned to months, a year, two years.

Noah was just beginning potty training. Adalind had started a consulting law firm that she could run remotely without in person meetings. Primarily, she gave legal advice and provided the preliminary paperwork for paralegals in the field. The flexibility it gave her to chase after their toddler in his training diapers 24/7 made it essential if she wanted to work at all. Leaving Noah in a day care or at home with a nanny, who may or may not be a kidnapper sent after her son, wasn't an option in her mind.

Nick's detective work kept him busy, but it didn't stop him from trying to trace down the royals looking for Diana. The thought warmed Adalind's heart. But with three years passing since she'd held her daughter, she didn't have much hope. By the time she met her daughter, she wouldn't even recognize her. They'd be strangers. It didn't make the overwhelming desire to wrap her arms around her daughter go away, but added a bittersweet sensation to her longing.

Sometimes Nick went on trips across seas for work. He'd offhandedly mention a Wessen problem he was checking out for someone. Each time he came home worn and more distant. It was wearing on both of them and their fledgling marriage.

This time, it was three weeks before he returned home. This needed to stop. It was tearing her apart. The idea of losing him was just as painful as losing another child at this point. She'd never had a relationship with someone she cared this much about; and she wanted to keep it. All these thoughts ran through her head as she gazed unseeing at the office computer.

"I'm home." Nick's voice rang out from the front door. The sounds of the door closing and shuffles echoed through the hallway. _Finally,_ she thought with dismay. Preparing herself for a confrontation once the homecoming was over, she rose from her seat.

"Daddy!" Noah came barreling out of the bathroom and zoomed around the corner ahead of her. She chuckled to herself while warring with the injustice of their son being without his father for the past three weeks.

"Hey, my little man!" Nick's voice bouncing off the walls alone was a comfort to her. She was just rounding the corner when she froze, paralyzed.

Before her stood her husband of six months, Nick Burkhardt, holding their energetic son. Noah was choke-holding his father in a pint-sized hug.

And a third person.

"Daddy, who dat?" Adalind faintly heard Noah's voice through the ringing in her ears. She couldn't breath. A flash of purple eyes lit up from a three foot tall young girl.

"That," Nick said, hearing it as if underwater, she only registered his beaming smile vaguely. "Is your sister."

"Diana?" Her voice shook as her knees gave out, dropping her onto the hallway floor.

There was a long pause. Diana blinked slowly once, twice.

Then with a whisper of wonder replied...

"...mommy?"

* * *

Finit.


End file.
